Camtek, headquartered in Migdal HaEmek, Israel, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Visual Layer, a Tel Aviv-based company specializing in visual data management and analytics. Visual Layer has developed a proprietary AI platform that enables organizations to process, analyze, and extract actionable insights from large-scale visual datasets. Over the past year, Camtek has worked closely with Visual Layer, integrating its technology into its products and collaborating at both the product and R&D levels.

The company did not disclose financial details of the transaction but said additional information is expected to be provided alongside its first-quarter 2026 financial results, scheduled for release in May. Camtek CEO Rafi Amit described artificial intelligence as a strategic priority for the company. “The acquisition of Visual Layer represents a significant step forward. Its technology and team are a natural extension of what we have built at Camtek. After working together for more than a year, we have seen this fit in practice,” he said.

Chairman Lior Aviram added that AI-driven inspection and metrology are expected to shape the competitive landscape in the coming years. According to Aviram, the deal opens the door to a new revenue stream based on AI-powered analytics software—an area that is not currently part of Camtek’s core business, which focuses on inspection and measurement systems for semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Visual Layer was founded in 2022 by CEO Danny Bickson, CTO Amir Alush, and Prof. Carlos Guestrin, Chief Strategy Officer, from Stanford University. The company set out to develop a platform capable of generating insights from large volumes of unstructured image data. In 2023, Visual Layer raised $7.5 million in a funding round led by Insight Partners and Madrona, and in 2024 launched its commercial platform on AWS.

Bickson and Alush said that their collaboration with Camtek over the past year demonstrated how AI technologies can significantly enhance capabilities in production environments. “Our goal is to help turn Camtek’s AI group into a leading center of excellence,” they said.